Oil Pollution

Oceans are polluted by oil on a regular basis from oil spills, shipping, land run-offs and dumping of oil.
Oil spills make up about a tenth of the oil that enters the ocean. The rest tends to come from shipping travelling around the world, drains and oil dumping.

Oil spills tend to be a very local problem but can be severe to marine wildlife such as fish, birds and sea animals.
Oil cannot dissolve in water and always forms a thick sludge in the water. This suffocates fish, gets caught in the feathers of marine birds stopping them from flying and blocks light from aquatic plants.